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TRP: Hansel and Roddy (Stew)
Izzy: at 9:18 PM The galley of the Sugar Glider. Hansel busies himself chopping carrots. They'd gotten a quick restock out of the empty city, so at least there were fresh vegetables. He dumps them into the pot and moves onto dicing herbs, glancing momentarily at Mishka sitting behind him, looking out the porthole. He wants to say something to him. Doesn't know what. Looks back to his herbs. He keeps hearing noises outside the galley door, like someone's creeping around, but not very successfully. He's already written it off as no threat, but keeps half his attention on it. Muse at 9:25 PM Roddy- isn't exactly sure what he's doing. Well in one sense he knows- he's lurking outside the galley, peeping through the door crack now and then, heading to his room, and then turning around to lurk outside the door again. But why? ...It was that note. About family. Roddy- guessed that's what him and Hansel were now. Family. But- Hansel hadn't actually said that. And what if Roddy was just mistaken and reading what he wanted to hear instead of the truth and was just setting himself up to get his heart ripped out later and- -And sometimes he wished he'd never had that talk with Hansel. And then he remembered Hansel looking at him, and saying "That's very reasonable, Roddy." He couldn't just- give that up. He was- probably right about this whole thing. Just- needed to talk to Hansel about it. But why did Mishka have to be there? Well, since apparently Roddy had already decided now was the time to have this talk, he finally pushed open the door, easing inside. "Hey Hansel!" he said, waving, happy to see him. And then Mishka. "Uh, heeey Mishka?" he said, giving a small wave to the elf. Coyote: at 9:32 PM Mishka looked up blearily, half-asleep and staring out the porthole. He sat bolt upright. God, he's tired. Maybe he'll just drift off again. That was nice, for a few seconds. (Which one is this? He can't keep them straight. Rodger. Yes. That was all the information Mishka had on that one. A name, basically, and that's all.) He thought about saying: I can go, if Roddy wanted to talk to Hansel alone, but nah. He's staying right fucking here until everything is fine again. "Well, hello to you too," he says instead.(edited) Izzy: at 9:34 PM Ah. Yeah, that checked out. Six-foot turtles weren't the stealthiest. He nodded to acknowledge the kid, then looked back to his work. "This is Roddy, motek," he says, calling Mishka the orcish word for sweetheart without thinking about it. Fucking ship. Old habits. Muse at 9:36 PM "Yeah. I'm the one that threw the beer at your head that one time. When you tried to kill Jonn and we blew up the Grumpy Sausage," Roddy rattled nervously. "Anyway, um-" okay, it's time, just spit it out Roddy, get it over with- "whatcha making?" he asked, leaning over to peer at what Hansel was doing. Izzy: at 9:38 PM "Stew. The usual." He dropped the diced herbs into the pot and moved onto potatoes, hesitating a moment. "Wanna help?" Muse at 9:41 PM "Sure!" Roddy volunteered. "Just uh. I don't- think I know how to cook," he said, scratching the back of his neck. Izzy: at 9:42 PM Hansel shrugged. "Me fuckin' either, kid." He passed Roddy a knife and half the potatoes, moving to the side to make a broader workspace. "So did you want something?" Muse at 9:46 PM "Yeah," Roddy answered, glancing from the knife to the potatoes. He'd seen this done before. It couldn't be that hard. Wait a minute. Shoot now he'd admitted he'd wanted something now he'd have to actually say the thing. Ducking his head, Roddy stabbed the potato and started sawing at it. Okay this was harder than it looked. "So yeah uh, interesting day today!" he said, trying to sound peppy. He sounded more nervous. Izzy: at 9:49 PM Hansel laughed softly. "Roddy. Look. Like this." He slices his potato cleanly in half. "Gentle, all right?" He pauses. "Yeah. Interesting." Muse at 9:52 PM ...Oh. That did look easier. "I said I didn't know what I was doing," he muttered, feeling just a tad defensive. Even though it was just Hansel, Hansel wouldn't mind. Hansel was also not pushing about the thing that Roddy wanted. Aw shoot now he'd have to initiate it. Roddy set the knife down, jerking up to look at Hansel. "Hey so are you like- my dad now or?"(edited) Izzy: at 9:57 PM Hansel froze mid-chop. "Um." He glanced over at Mishka, not sure if he was looking for help (pointless) or checking to see if Mishka found this hilarious (probable). "I don't know, I -- if you want me to be? Sure?" he tried. Muse at 10:01 PM Roddy started to say something. And then stopped. And then started to say something again. Once again cutting himself off. "...I don't know," he finally said miserably. "It scares me and I don't know why." Roddy sighed, resting his head against Hansel's shoulder. (They were family at least that was okay right?) "...I don't want to be scared though," he said quietly. Izzy: at 10:06 PM Hansel propped his head against Roddy's. He was a good height for it. That was ... kind of nice. "'Kay. Well. I ... hm. I don't know what to tell you, kid. All I can do is try to help you stop being scared. Hey, actually." He pulled away and put down his knife, wiping his hands on the nearby towel. He unhooked the jeweled rapier from his belt and held it out to Roddy. "Seems like you'd get more use out of this than I would. It can help watch your back while you're -- yknow -- doing bard things." Muse at 10:11 PM Roddy lit up, reaching out and grabbing it. "This is so neat! This is the best! Thanks Hansel- wait wasn't this Mishka's?" Roddy glanced at the snoozing elf- how he was sleeping right now was beyond him- and drooped dejectedly. Although maybe he could keep it anyway? Izzy: at 10:13 PM Hansel shrugged. "Finder's keepers. He dropped it. Mine now." He grinned. "Well, yours. Just -- be careful with it, all right?" Coyote: at 10:18 PM Mishka sat bolt upright before he could stop himself. That's his. The mask, that was fine, Goro can have it, but the rapier. Fuck. He just assumed Hansel would give it back to him. The mask was for fun, mostly. He could live without it. He would learn to live without it. (His mind flickered through the contingency plans: teleport spell, invisibility, dagger, normal rapier, jade necklace. The dancing rapier used to be one but apparently he wasn't getting it back. Fuck.) The rapier was for defending himself. It spared him having to fight back multiple people at the same time so he could concentrate long enough to cast spells. Having it suddenly taken away, realizing Hansel wasn't going to give it back, was like suddenly realizing there wasn't ground beneath his feet. He just assumed Hansel wouldn't do that. But then he caught himself. No alarm. He was not showing alarm. Stood up, instead, to pretending he was just sitting up to get some stew, or something. (How's he going to get it back? Fuck.)(edited) Muse at 10:23 PM Roddy started a bit as suddenly Mishka was moving. He kept a wary eye on the ex-bad guy as he went to get at the stew. "Is that even done yet?" he wondered aloud. The rapier was clenched in his hands. Hansel said it was okay. And it wasn't like Mishka was part of the team- so the 'don't steal from teammates' didn't apply. Right? Coyote: at 10:32 PM Mishka tried to focus on the food. Couldn't. It wasn't even done yet. He glanced at it dispassionately, stirred the stew for a moment, then let it be. It was fine. Turtle kid didn't go anything wrong. Just a fancy bauble. (Fuck, though, he needed it to feel safe. What the fuck. What was he going to--) It was fine. He didn't need it. He wasn't going to fight anyone, anyway. He couldn't make plans when he was upset. Instead, he waved a short goodbye to Hansel (he couldn't think of what else to do now, but he was okay, he needed to pretend it was fine, the kid already seemed excited, Hansel didn't know, Mishka didn't tell him). And for the first time since he'd come onto the ship, Mishka left the kitchen and went outside alone, without anyone. (Teleport, invisibility, dagger, normal rapier, jade necklace.) Izzy: at 10:38 PM Huh. "Roddy, I may need to borrow the rapier, actually." He took it back, not noticing the amount of resistance, not looking at Roddy right now at all -- eyes fixed on the door. Mishka wouldn't just leave. He hadn't left Hansel's side yet. Hansel was afraid that if he did, he might -- He was out the door before it had even closed behind Mishka, reaching for his elbow but not wanting to startle him, saying, "Motek --" as his hand brushed Mishka, but not saying anything else until he was sure Mishka was going to stop, was going to stay, would let him talk. Coyote: at 10:44 PM Motek. Sweetheart. That was better than husband, slightly, but it still felt like someone was ripping his stomach out. Then Hansel touched him, and Mishka cracked a little. Hansel did not deserved to be lashed at. Mishka knew that for a fact. But Mishka's iron-fisted self-controls slipped for a second, the way it always did around Hansel, and something came out. He ripped his arm away, caught Hansel's wrist to stop him. "Don't," he said. It came out ragged and not at all calm. Not even a little. The mask slipped for a second. Don't give my safety net away; don't touch me; don't call me that; don't, don't, don't. He needed to calm down. Hansel was already taking care of the whole fucking ship. Izzy: at 10:46 PM He held his hands up, where Mishka could see. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was important." He held the rapier out. Muse at 10:50 PM The rapier was snatched out of his hands- too quick for Roddy to even decide if he wanted to protest. What was up with these people? Roddy followed out the door, poking out just in time to see Hansel giving Mishka the rapier back. It cut at something deep inside. "Hey! I thought you said I could have that!" Coyote: at 10:59 PM Mishka took the jeweled rapier back before the turtle kid could get it. Immediately. Mishka said, "Honestly, you don't want it. It's a charming bauble. I'm attached to it, I'll admit, but it's basically for show. It's defective. Unbalanced. You saw how it attacked Nixie-- ah, Sugar, right? Missed her completely? That's basically all it does. It doesn't actually hit people, always misses. The fucking thing was made wrong. All it does is distract people, really. Listen--" He unbuckled his other rapier from his side. Well-balanced and finely made. "Look at this craftsmanship," he said. "Frankly you'd prefer this one. Would you like it?" (He fought down the sick feeling. They weren't alone. Roddy was here. Mask back on. It would be fine.) Izzy: at 11:05 PM "Mishka, stop talking." Hansel pushed the second rapier away, and to Roddy, said, "There's nothing wrong with the sword, he's just full of shit. Look, it's --." He lowered his voice and leaned closer to Roddy, wishing he could talk to the kid about this privately, but not keen on leaving Mishka alone. "You remember how we talked about -- you like having things? It makes you feel better, right? This is one of Mishka's ... things. I didn't know -- it's my fault. I mean." He leaned back and glanced at the rapier Mishka had offered. "You can have this one, if you want. Just not the dancing one. It wasn't mine to give. I'm sorry, kid." Muse at 11:15 PM Roddy wavered. Hansel was apologizing. That- probably shouldn't be so weird to him. "He's not acting like it's a big deal," Roddy muttered mulishly. If it had been one of Roddy's things he would have made a big deal about it. Insisted that they give it back. (Have to deal with the hurt if/when they didn't.) He was being offered a rapier. A boring not-magic one, just like he already had. Stomping forwards, Roddy grabbed the offered rapier out of Mishka's hands. "Hope your happy," he muttered, turning back to head off to his room. He didn't feel much like hanging out any more. Izzy: at 11:28 PM Shit. Goddammit. He'd really just assumed it was one of Mishka's many trinkets and he wouldn't miss it. Hansel had had him back for a matter of hours and had already fucked up. "Roddy, c'mon -- fuck." He turned back to Mishka. "Look, I -- I gotta talk to him, can you just -- will you --." Will you be okay? Will you still be here? Will you forgive me? Fuck. He nodded to the door next to the galley and murmured, "If you need to be alone, that's my room, okay?" Then -- absolutely fucking hating it -- he turned to dash after Roddy, catching him just before he reached his room at the other end of the ship with a hand on his shoulder. "Roddy," he said firmly. "Tell me what I can do to make this up to you." Coyote: at 11:38 PM Mishka stopped himself from reacting to the Stop talking comment, barely. What the fuck. He gets his feet under him for a second and Hansel-- what? Rips it away again? Tells people he's lying and he's full of shit. Tells people he's weak and he needs this. He'd assumed Hansel was on his side. It was a shock to realize he-- wasn't. Would expose him in a fucking second like it was nothing. Mishka always felt better with the bullshit intact, the defense mechanisms in place. Hansel seemed to prefer it when Mishka let his guard down, but-- for fuck's sake. He couldn't just rip it away in front of other people. He was trying, he was fucking trying to trust Hansel. But Mishka didn't know how to walk if the ground kept getting ripped out from under his feet. Hansel is already taking care of the whole fucking ship, he reminds himself. And: Hansel did not do anything wrong. But Mishka couldn't fucking handle it. Stop talking and he's just full of shit. Like it was nothing. What the fuck. He kept himself together until Hansel was gone, visualized where he wanted to go, and vanished. He didn't snap his fingers, this time, just did it silently-- with some extra effort-- so there would be no noise. Muse at 11:42 PM Roddy's shoulders jumped as he felt Hansel touch him and he whirled around, hands up to push it off. "I don't know," he snapped. "I just- it's stupid. It's stupid and I don't know and I just- you said I could have it." He was whining now. Should just- shut up and take it right? "You said and then you just- changed your mind and- and I just don't know." Izzy: at 11:50 PM Hansel winced. He'd just wanted to give the kid a gift. He'd thought of him, first thing, when the rapier had been left by the wall -- it'd help keep him safe, and he was more goddamn vulnerable than Mishka was. He was a kid, for fuck's sake. None of that mattered. Hansel had fucked up, twice, and he had to figure out how to fix it. "I know, I'm sorry. I shoulda checked with him first, but he hadn't asked for it back, so I thought it didn't matter -- it doesn't -- y'know, I'm not making excuses, here. I fucked up, Roddy. I'm sorry." Muse at 11:53 PM Sorry. Hansel was sorry. Roddy laughed, pained and wet, and unamused. "I don't like this. It hurts." Roddy rapped at his shell, above his heart. "Caring is awful, sometimes," he declared miserably. October 13, 2018 Izzy: at 12:04 AM "Yeah," Hansel admitted. "Sometimes. A lot of the times. I don't know, kid." Roddy had been easier to deal with when Hansel had just thought he was like Jonn. He had all the scripts in place for that kind of kid -- he had practice. He knew what to do and what to say. Roddy being different was good -- god, it was a relief -- but it also left him stranded in dark waters with no oars. "Listen, hey." He started to put a hand on Roddy's shoulder again but stopped himself. "Mishka's ... my family, too. And I was without him for two years. And I was fucking miserable that entire time. And I've had him back for just a few hours and it's already like ..." He scoffed at himself, because even as he said it, he knew it sounded ridiculous. "Like none of that ever happened. It's highs and lows but the highs are fucking worth it, Roddy. Promise." Muse: at 12:11 AM Roddy nodded slowly. Even now, hurting from what-ever-it-was that had upset him so bad- he still could feel that something. Hansel had come back, he was talking to Roddy- he was sorry. (He was here with Roddy and not Mishka.) "I'm gonna- I'm gonna hold you to that," he said, rubbing at his wet eyes. "Sorry. ...I dunno what for. Being a mess, I guess?" Izzy: at 12:15 AM Thank god. Something in there had helped. Maybe he should just start blathering whatever seemed appropriate at the time more often. At least with Roddy, it kind of worked. "S'all right." Tentatively, he patted the kid's shoulder. "You're not a mess. You're just ... figuring shit out. It takes a while. Somewhere upwards of thirty-six years, I'm guessing." Muse: at 12:18 AM "Oh Helm that's going to take forever." Roddy looked a little pale at the idea. That was- more than twice how old he was now! Was he really gonna end up crying over stupid things for thirty six years?? On the plus side- he didn't pull away from Hansel's shoulder pat this time. Izzy: at 12:19 AM Hansel snorted out a laugh. "Well, look, maybe you'll do better than I have so far. Shit, hopefully so." Muse: at 12:24 AM "Yeah hopefully." Roddy still looked fretful, but- Hansel'd be around to help him out. It'd be fine. Maybe. "I feel- better now. Thanks Da- thanks." He'd tried. He'd tried to get The Word out but his throat had gotten a little too tight. Roddy looked a little redder than usual, ducking his head and scuffing at the floor with his foot. Hansel'd probably know what he was trying to say. Izzy: at 12:29 AM "Good. I'm glad you feel better." He chanced pulling the kid into a hug -- a quick one, in case it wasn't the right time -- in part to hide any reaction that might show on his face. Because he wasn't quite sure how to react. Only Jonn called him Dad. Not even Luci. Maybe the kid had just picked it up from him. That was probably it. It was fine. Muse: at 12:34 AM This time, Roddy returned the hug. Even a little sad it ended so quick- but that was all right. This was good right? Roddy'd asked about the dad thing and Hansel'd said okay- pretty much- yeah this was fine. "Think I wanna head to bed. It's- been an eventful few days. And maybe more killing again soon, yaaaay," he said with bright sarcasm. "Night Ha- D-.... Night." Izzy: at 12:39 AM "Night, kid. Sleep well." He waited until Roddy had gone into his room, amused by how well he was dealing with ... well, all of this bullshit -- the kid was a bard, after all, not a pirate or assassin or career criminal. He was allowed some sarcasm. He took a deep breath and turned around. That had gone all right, ultimately. Not the best, but -- Mishka was gone. Fuck. [END Category:Text Roleplay